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"Hugh Jackman ;)"

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Maybe we'll all a little Mutant after-all

X-Men is one of my favorite "super-hero" movies. I enjoy the fact that it came out before we hit this super-hero rage. The characters are unlike other heroes flying around looking for bad guys with guns, these are "mutants" born with abilities and trying to learn to find acceptance and control. The fact that so many different imaginative ideas can be brought into these films (I mean the options are endless) is what keeps people addicted for more. You will find that you will start to love characters individually with their back stories and that once you watch one, you'll have to keep going. Personally I recommend buying them all. I find that without all of them you loose so much of the story. Each movie brings more and more to the characters. The first X-Men is one of the best by far. When you first meet Wolverine you learn why so many people are obsessed with these movies. You fall in love with the characters, you feel their struggle, heart-ache and accomplishments while also learning to understand the struggle for acceptance.

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a great superhero film about mutants trying to stop mutants turning against humans.

Intro and Info:

X-men is a superhero action film that was made and released in 2000. The film was directed by Bryan Singer who has also directed other films like X-Men 2 and Valkyrie. X-men was produced by four people Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Avi Arad and Tom DeSanto. The film was also written by two people Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer. X-men was made on a budget of 75 million dollars but the film grossed well over 296 million dollars and so the film was a huge box office success grossing well over the budget. The IMDB website rates X-men as 7.4 out of 10 and that is based on well over 187,000 Votes.

Plot:

Mutants and Humans live together on Earth but then Senator Robert Kelly is attempting to introduce a Mutant registration Act which would make all Mutants reveal their Identities and their abilities. Magneto (played by Ian McKellen) begins his plans to fight back against the humans because of this act. Professor Xavier (played by Patrick Stewart) runs the X-Mansion which is a school to try to educate Mutants about their powers and also be at peace with humans. Professor Xavier then introduces the X-Men which is a group of Mutants including Wolverine, Storm and Cyclops to try and stop Magneto and his Mutant allies from starting a war with humanity.

Because X-Men is a superhero film I expected there to be a lot of special effects and CGI because of all the super powers and such. There was a lot of special effects and CGI but they were all to a very high standard. The CGI was great with everything looking good and realistic. The Special effects in the film also were very detailed and very realistic when it was used which also makes the film look better and in my opinion, like I said before the film did rely a lot on special effects but they are not overused. The special effects and CGI looked great and I was surprised with how realistic they were for example Wolverine's Metal Claws and all the other super powers, also how the environment was made to be effected by the powers I thought was very impressive.

The picture quality was brilliant and so was the sound quality. The picture and sound was very good and almost looked as good as films released now a days also the picture and sound was very clear and sharp and everything was easily understood. Because the film is 104 minutes long it is a long film but in my opinion I thought it was easily watchable and the film is very entertaining and the film's story doesn't fell stretched. The direction I thought was superb, all of the scenes had the right camera angles and everything looked good throughout the film. Also all the scenes ran well together, and the lighting was really good as well. I think it adds a good effect to the scenes and film and brilliant directing.

The acting was brilliant too, all of the actors were right for the part and they were superb at portraying their characters, I also thought that for some of the actors playing a superhero was a new role to them and they handled it very well. All of the Actors also managed very well to show their characters emotions and feelings and so I was very impressed with the acting. Every one of the actors were also very easy to understand and all of the actors spoke clearly.

The story is also well written and very entertaining. The story is slow in some places but overall it is very fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat and so this film has a lot to offer to a large audience. The story is also action packed and kick starts very quickly and so it isn't a boring film in my opinion, there are many fights and explosions and other things and they were very fun to watch. The story did have sub plots and they were great, there weren't loads so they didn't oversaturate and make the film complicated but they did add to make the film more interesting and entertaining. The screenplay is as good as the story it's dramatic in places and it also has good dialogue. The story is also easily understood and isn't confusing. X-Men is based on Comic books and I thought that the film did very well to adapt the comics into a film.

There was a soundtrack in this film and it was brilliant, I thought that the music in the soundtrack was very well picked and all of the music seemed to fit into the scenes. The Music also created some suspense in the film when it was needed and also made the film more dramatic in places. The Music in this film was very good and it also fit the tone of the mood which also added to the overall effect of the movie. Overall a very good and entertaining soundtrack that fit the film perfectly. Also the music isn't too loud and so everything can easily be heard even with the intense fighting scenes everything could be heard.I didn't really find any bad points with his film as I really enjoyed it the only thing that I could see that would put people off would be the length but as I have previously mentioned I thought it was easily watchable. The story does not drag and is very action packed and so the length won't really be an issue. I also thought that this film had much more action in then other super hero films and so that made it better in my opinion.

Sequels:

X-men is the first film in a trilogy of films with X-Men 2 following the first film and then X-Men 3 the Last Stand being the final film in that trilogy. Then there is the new X-Men film, X-Men First Class which wasn't released too long ago and it is a prequel to the original first three films. X-Men First class is supposed to be the start of a new trilogy and apparently there is going to be more films added onto the original trilogy of X-Men films. Also on top of that X-Men origins Wolverine is also set to have a sequel released in 2013 and so there maybe loads of sequels in the future.

Conclusion:

Overall I really enjoyed watching X-Men and think that it was an amazing film. The CGI and Special effects were amazing and all though the film relied heavily on special effects I thought they were all to a very high standard and so were great. The story and screenplay provided a very good story and the story is easily followed, also it is very action packed and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The sound track as I have previously mentioned I thought was superb and the actors all did an amazing job portraying their characters. Overall I really enjoyed watching X-Men and I could easily watch this film again and I highly recommend it. If you are a big fan of comic books and superhero films you'll enjoy X-Men and it is worth 5 out of 5 in my opinion. The film is rated 12.

5 Out of 5

Highly Recommended

Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120903/

Thank you for reading my film review, any comments or ratings are appreciated and I will try to rate you all back but if I miss you please let me know and I will rate. This Review May also be put onto Ciao under the same username.

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a must see for marvel comic lovers.

X Men my husband was a big fan of the marvel comics, and when this came out on DVD he just had to watch it, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised and felt it a good film. The special effects were good , but sometime a little far fetched.Xavier played Patrick Steward was an excellent character , he takes in mutants into his school and teachers them how to control their abilities. These include , Rogue is one such teenager who when enjoying her first kiss sees her young boyfriend collapse into a coma. Unfortunately for Rogue, her mutant superpower is destined to make her lonelier than most as any skin-on-skin contact with another human will see her absorbing that person's life-force. Wolverine who can regenerate so you can attack him and injure him but he won't stay this way for long, he also is a very lonely and dark character. The professor helps all the young mutants to properly - and responsibly - control and use their powers. The Professor also believes humans and mutants can live peacefully, side-by-side - Magneto, on the other hand, disagrees. Magneto is part of a group called the brotherhood of mutants You need to have read the comics in order to fully understand the complex of the films characters, i was constantly asking my husband what was what , which i felt annoyed him somewhat.

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A good start to a superhero franchise

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Although the x-men films are based around the Marvel comics, I only really know them from the cartoon series that used to be on when I was a child. I would enjoy many a Saturday morning enjoying the escapades of the mutants with The Phoenix being my favourite. The first film in the trilogy was directed by Bryan Singer and released in 2000.

In the not too distant future, children are being born with a so called 'x' gene that gives them unusual abilities. In a scene reminiscent of the Holocaust, the government is calling for registration of all mutants. Charles Xavier who runs a school for the gifted youngsters' hopes for peace between them but old friend Eric doesn't believe it's possible, so wants to create a superhuman race of his own.

There is a scene at the beginning of the film where Eric is a young boy being herded into a concentration camp in Poland. He is separated from his parents and when reaching out for them he manipulates the metal in the gate. The similarities between this scene and how Eric (now known as Magneto) envisages the future if humans rule is apparent. He fears mutants will be subjected to segregation and torture if the government gets there way. Although his methods may be a bit extreme, I can see his motivation. I do find his ideas a little blinkered though because if he create a mutant super race he is persecuting humans as the Nazis did to the Jews.

Although this is a fairly serious message, it isn't forced. Most of the plot focuses on seventeen year old Rogue after she runs away from home because she kissed her boyfriend and put him in a coma. She hitches a ride with Wolverine, a mutant with no long term memory and an exoskeleton made of a special metal called Adamantium. After being attached by Magnetos henchman Sabretooth, the pair are brought back to Xavier's school.

It's easy to sympathise with Rogue, she just wants to be a normal teenager. Every time she touches someone, something bad happens and although the school try to help her come to terms with it, she is still very insecure. Wolverine appears to be quite shallow on the outside but as he develops his relationship with both Rogue and Jean Gray, a doctor at the school, we see deep down he does care about others even if he doesn't show it.

The film does focus on many different relationships. Xavier and Eric were obviously very close at one point but their difference of opinion has pulled them apart, they still respect each other but cannot work together because of their beliefs. Jean Gray wrestles with her feelings for partner Scott and her lust for Wolverine. Although they are mutants, they still have to deal with human issues, showing that really they are just like you or I.

Although the film does have its fair share of action particularly in the last 30 minutes, those looking purely for adrenaline might be disappointed as much of the film focuses on getting to know the characters, their background and beliefs and how they all interact. The action is spectacular, the special effects are perhaps a little dated now but overall they are realistic. I particularly enjoyed Mystiques mid air shape shifting, the morphing from one person to another looks great.

There are some great shots done throughout the film, all of them adding to the viewing experience. The first time Wolverines claws shoot from his hand is done well and even though I knew it would happen, I still enjoyed watching it.

I also though the film made great use of different landscapes to represent the personalities of the characters. Magneto's layer is cold and hard much like him whereas Charles's school is warm and inviting.

In true superhero fashion, the film does build up to the inevitable climax. The battle between good and evil comes to a head and there are no surprises about who comes out on top. It may be predictable but the journey is quite exciting and puts a lot of effort into getting to know the characters.

This is a certificate 12 and although there is nothing overly scary or threatening, it does contain some violence. I wouldn't worry too much about slightly younger kids seeing it, a 12a certificate would probably have been more appropriate.

The acting is generally good although nothing special. I thought Ian Mckellens Magneto was particularly successful; he managed to give the character moral ambiguity as well as likability. Hugh Jackman was good as Wolverine; he didn't speak that much but managed to give the role enough emotion. I couldn't quite decide if I liked Anna Paquins performance as Rogue, I just found it a little forced at times.

Overall, I think this was a good film to start the franchise; it introduces us to the characters and focuses on their emotions and abilities. There is some action and a climatic ending but this is not a high octane thriller. It is currently available to buy on Amazon for £5.99 but the trilogy can be bought for £8.99 which is probably a better deal.

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One of the best comic book adaptions

X-Men is a 2000 Superhero movie directed by Bryan Singer and starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Anna Pacquin and Sir Ian McKellan, and is based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name.-------------------------------------------The Plot:

In the not too distant future a bill is being pushed through US Congress by Senator Robert Kelly ( Bruce Davison ) called the "Mutant Registration Act" which if passed would force all mutants to register their names and abilities to public knowledge, which spurs Magneto ( Ian McKellan ) to begin his plans to "level the playing field" between Mutants and Humans.

Meanwhile a girl called Marie ( Anna Pacquin ) who is later named Rogue flees from her parents home after mistakenly putting her boyfriend in a coma after absorbing his energy by kissing him, and so flees to Canada where she meets Wolverine ( Hugh Jackman ) and they strike up a sort of friendship, however while travelling on a highway they're attacked by Sabretooth who is on a mission to abduct Rogue by Magneto as she is crucial to his plans.

They both end up being saved and transported back to Professor Charles Xavier's ( Patrick Stewart ) school for the gifted, which is a haven for mutants and also doubles as the headquarters for a band of Mutants called the X-Men who are on the side of good and find themselves attempting to foil Magneto's plans to instigate mutant genes in the entire human population.

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X-Men was a revelation when it was released in 2000, until then superhero movies were centred around one superhero ( Spiderman, Batman, The Incredible Hulk...etc ) and it was nice that eventually a movie was made out of some of the most successful comic books of all time.Also important was that the movie remain faithful to the comics, which it largely did, and while I feel the exclusion of two of the most important X-Men from the movie ( Beast and Iceman ) was a grave error I can appreciate the reasons why, and while I do think the story is a little heavily biased towards Wolverine it largely comes off as true to the original storylines and a fitting adaption from the comics to the movie world.A large part of the movies success in my opinion is due to the excellent cast, of which Patrick Stewart stands out and I really think that he was made for the part as he visually fits the bill of Xavier, also worth a mention is the portrayal of Wolverine by Hugh Jackman in what will surely be the defining role of his career and the one he'll most be remembered for I think.

Overall between the excellent and talented cast, and the wonderful directing by Bryan Singer and the top quality of the script X-Men stands the test of time in the crowded genre of Superhero movies and deservedly spawned two direct sequels and one indirect sequel ( X-Men origins : Wolverine )For fans of comic books this is essential viewing, for fans of entertaining movies this is also must see viewing and for the casual movie buff this will also satisfy a craving for sure.

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Ok but not as good as it should have been

Released in 2000, the first XMEN movie is set in the near future in a world in which a small number of mutants with superpowers exist, and who are looked upon with derision and scorn by the rest of humanity. The wheelchair-bound Xavier (Patrick Stewart) runs an academy for talented mutants, safeguarding them from the rest of the world (and the world from them), whilst Magneto, (Ian Mckellan) powerful mutant with the ability to telepathically move metal objects at will, rallys a group of fellow mutuants to his cause and, in a generic 'evil begets evil' storyline, embarks on a quest to rid the world of humanity following the torments he experienced as a child at the hands of the nazis. Meanwhile, Xavier forms his own team of mutants, the XMEN, in a bid to crush Magneto's sinister plans.

The film's central protagonists are Wolverine, played reasonably well by Hugh Jackman, and Rogue (Anna Paquin), a young mutant girl with her own mysterious unknown powers. A fair few characters from the XMEN universe put in an appearance, including Storm, Cyclops, Sabretootha and Toad, but the absence of others such as Beast and Gambit leaves the thing feeling somewhat lopsided, whilst the plot itself is meandering and works towards conclusion that feels decidedly anticlimactic somehow.

On the plus side, the special effects are good, merging cgi with live-action in a convincing manner, and there are some cool scenes, such as when Magneto overpowers a contingent of cops by levitating their guns out of their hands and aiming them at their heads, or when he walks across an abyss without breaking pace by commanding metal tiles to lock together in the spaces before his feet, and there are a number of engaging fight scenes here and there as well. Futhermore, both patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellan shine in their respective roles, with the film being worth watchign for their performances alone.

Sadly however, nothing else relly gels all that well, and many of the supporting performances are forgettable, meaning that XMEN, whilst not a bad film, remains something of a missed opportunity overall.

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Overall worth watching as great action

When I first saw X-Men I wasn't sure what it would be like as there are so many superhero movies about and wondered how this one would be any different. However, I was wrong as this is a fantastic superhero type movie and is not like anything I'd seen before. This comprises spectacular action and excitement and is a dazzling movie.

The plot is pretty simple but the characters keep the movie ticking along at a nice pace. The film is essentially about the co-existence of humans and 'mutants' and whether or not they can live together. Some humans don't believe they can and want all 'mutants' registered so they know where they are at all times. The mutants have special powers which is why they are different. The struggle to get the peaceful co-existence craved is led by Professor Charles Xaiver played by Patrick Stewart. He runs an academy that specialises in harnessing the power of these mutants and use them for good and to help people.

There will always be opposition to this dream for peace and they come in the main form of Erik Magnus Lenshurr played by Ian McKellan. He is bitter after a tough childhood and is against all mankind in general. This battle of wills forms the basis of the story around which the characters revolve.

The movie does boast a great cast including Hugh Jackman, Stewart, McKellan and Halle Berry to name but a few. There are many great characters that bring the movie to life for me and some of them include Cyclops who can unleash a bolt of energy from his eyes, Storm who can manipulate and influence the weather at any point and at will. Then there is Rogue who absorbs the life force of anyone she touches.

Now these mutants must protect themselves against those who want them dead and also learn how to use their powers for the good of makind. This is what makes this movie great as it has such a balanced script to fall back on. The effects are spectacular and the chracters with their powers are interesting, although some get lost a bit in the crowd and are not as spectacular as others.

All, in all this is as fantastic action sci-fi adventure and is riveting throughout..

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Super special effects

This is the first of the X-Men films which haw produced a couple of sequels and a Wolverine spin off film however for me this one is the best of the lot and a good fun movie.

The main star of the film is Hugh Jackman who plays the mutant Wolverine, when his rage takes over metal claws shoot out of his knuckles to form super strong and sharp weapons, he also has the amility to self heal and even heal those he comes into contact with. He leads a lonely life on an earth that is having an increasing number of mutants and these can be slit into those on the side of good and those oon the side of evil, often looked upon with suspiscion by normal people these are those mutants who believe they have to live alongside normal people whle others fear that they will be wiped out and thus seek to conquer the world.

The good mutants are led by Professor Charles Xavier played by Patrick Stewart while the evil mutants are led by Magneto played by Ian McKellan.

When Wolverine encounters another mutant a young girl (Rogue) whose very touch can suck the life out of people leaving them old and shrivelled they are attacked by other mutants who are seeking to kidnap the girl, this is when Wolverine and Rogue find themselves being rescued by Xavier team which includes Halle Berry as Storm.

The special effects in this film are excellent especially in the fight scenes when the mutants special powers are o display, Jackman is great as Wolverine and very pleasing on the eye as well.

In my opinion this is one of the best comic book adaptions and is a great film. It has an interesting plot and raises some interesting questions about how those who are different are treated by society especially when they seem to have extra strength or ability.

Whilst the acting will never win any awards it is the quality of the action scenes that stands out and the special effects are superb. Great film and one that is well worth seeing.

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An Excellent Film

First of all I must mention this is a film only review. I have not seen the DVD yet so can not yet comment on any of the features on there.

Who would have known how big this film was going to be when it came out nine years ago! Since its release this film has gone from strength to strength and not only that but there have been several sequals that have been just as if not even more popular.

The original X-Men came out in 2000. The film was directed by Bryan Singer and stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Halle Berry, just to name a few of the stars! The film won 11 awards and got tons of nominations. This was a massive hit at the box office and its as popular now as it was when it first came out.

X-Men tells the story of mutants. There are basically two sets of mutants living on earth. Those who want to help humans and live with them, and those who want to dominate them and create a society where mutants rule. A mutant is basically someone with special powers ranging from the ability to control the weather to the power of super strength. A war is brewing between the two groups of mutants and the good must fight the evil to keep the world the way it is.

This is a really good film. I first watched this at the cinema where it really blew me away. The effects are wonderful and the action excellent. Along with that there are some great performances, this was really the film that launched Huge Jackmans career and made him the star he is today. There were other excellent performances from the more well established actors.

The storyline is also excellent. It keeps you guessing and you really get involved in the film as it moves along. Its quite gripping in places and really holds your attention well.

I love some of the characters in this film. There is some really good ideas about what powers the mutants could have and there is such a wide variety of different abilites on show.

The film runs for 104 minutes. I would say this is just about right. This film is packed with action and it moves at a blistering pace, you never find yourself bored in this film!

The film is rated as 12. There is some swearing and quite a bit of violence in this film. Although nothing really to serious that should offend to many people.

Overall this is a wonderful film. There is something for everyone and so much to enjoy in the film. You can tell how sucessful this film was as it spurned all the sequals. This was one of the biggest action films of 2000 and is still really worth watching today. If you have never seen this film its one you really should go and check out as soon as you get the chance!

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Not as good as the other films

X Men is a superhero film that is based on the Marvel Comic of the same name and it was released in 2000. It is rated 12 due to lots of violence and action and some mild bad language and the film is 104 minutes long. X Men was a huge financial success, making nearly $300 million worldwide after having a relatively small budget of $75 million.

PlotWe start off by learning about a young boy in Poland during the Holocaust who gets separated from his parents in an extermination camp. The boy desperately wants to get back to his parents but the soldiers keep trying to stop him but the boy begins to bend the metal bars with his mind until one of the soldiers beats him until he is unconscious. We learn that the boy is now grown up, a mutant, and the year is now 2000.

Some of the mutants use their powers for good but others have decided to use their powers to hurt and destroy things, including humans. Senator Kelly wants each of the mutants to be identified along with their abilities by using a "Mutant Registration Act". While neither the good or the bad guys want this, both sides have different ways of dealing with current events.

Along the way, we learn that the little boy from the beginning of the film is called Magneto and he isn't so nice. Along with some other nasty mutants, Magneto goes against his enemy and former friend Xavier, who is also a mutant who runs a school for the 'gifted' in order to keep the peace between humans and mutants.

My OpinionI've loved all of the X Men films so far but I'm still unable to pick a favourite but I will always remember this one for bringing something amazing to our screens. Like all of the films that have come from comic books, I'm glad I have no idea about any of them because I imagine that I would pick them to bits.

Some of the special effects in this film are absolutely spectacular. From most action films we expect some pretty amazing things but this one really stepped up to the plate. The scene at the Statue of Liberty was one of my favourites in the whole film and it never fails to impress me each time that I watch it. Not all of the action scenes are this fantastic but they are all pretty impressive as a whole. The make up effects were some of the best that I've ever seen in a film and considering the nature of the film, if they hadn't been as good, I think the film would have been a flop. Even though we know that it is all make up you wouldn't be able to tell the characters weren't real if we didn't know the truth.

There are quite a lot of main characters in this film and normally it would seem too much but the film makers each of them interact very well with each other and you know where you stand with them at all times. Most of the mutants are extremely different from one to the next so each one seems very individual. Even though the use of a lot of characters is a good thing for most of the film, some of them do seem under developed at times but I guess this was done so that other films would be more interesting and something to work with each time.

I don't think there were any slow or boring parts to the plot and the film moved along at a nice pace. Though some would think that too many questions were left unanswered, this was obviously done for something to use and expand on in future films.

Overall, X Men was a good start to an amazing series but the other films have quite outdone it's efforts now.

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A clever action film

X-Men is the comic book film that started it all - with the meteoric success of the film, raking in almost $300m at the worldwide box office, it was no surprise that film studios began to buy up every franchise that they could get their hands on, and now, almost 10 years later, we are near enough inundated with comic books films, from The Dark Knight, to Spider-Man, to Ghost Rider. X-Men, though, remains one of the best, and also stands tall as the seminal adaptation.

The film takes place in 2000, where mutants are well known in society, and the government has passed a Mutant Restriction Act, to ensure that the Mutants don't band up and take over society. The Mutants come in numerous guises, from schoolgirls who don't even know they have powers, to cage fighters like Logan (Hugh Jackman), who is better known as Wolverine, with his adamantium claws.

The crux of the film's tension comes not only from the humans attempting to subjugate the mutants, but also from between the mutants themselves. Led by the most powerful mutant of all, Magneto (Ian McKellan), Sabretooth (Tyler Mane) attempts to wipe out some of the "good" mutants, chiefly Rogue (Anna Paquin), who has just learned that she has powers, and Wolverine. However, during an attack, they are saved by Storm (Halle Berry) and Cyclops (James Marsden), who take them to the Mansion of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who is one of the most powerful mutants the world has ever seen. Here they are trained, protected, and educated as mutants, to harness their abilities for good.

The film revolves around on magnificent central performance - Jackman is fantastic as Wolverine, and it's difficult to imagine anyone else in the role. Also, the set pieces throughout are kinetic and fun, aided by some (for the time) very impressive visual effects. As a benchmark for the genre, this is a great entry, and remains vital.

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Great film

This is the first of the X-Men ilms and it was an excellent start to the franchise which has now started to branch out with films like Wolverine.

The film stars Hugh Jackman who is well buff in this film as the mutant Wolverine, a man who when angered can produce steel claws and has the ability to self heal from any wounds he suffers. Leading a desolate and lonely life in the frozen north of America he is one of a growing band of mutants who are largely shunned by society through fear, somemutants have taken themselves outside of society and use their powers for evil while others lead by Professor Charles Xavier played by Patrick Stewart are on the side of good. The eviul mutants are led by Magneto played by Ian McKellan.

When Wolverine crosses paths with another mutant a young girl (Rogue) whose very touch can suck the life out of people leaving them old and shrivelled or even dead they form and uncomfortable alliance which is bought under attack from other mutants who are seeking to kidnap the girl, this is when Wolverine and Rogue find themselves being rescued by Xavier team which includes Halle Berry as Storm.

This is a crash bang wallop of a film with some superb special effects and some excellent fight scenes. The special powers of each characters are well portrayed and it has a a strong, good versus evil, plot line running through the film.

Jackman in the role of Wolverine is excellent in the part and brings a real brooding menace to the role just as you would expect a wolf to act, lashing out at any one who tries to get close and being a real loner. The rest of the cast perform well and the ending sets the follow up sequels perfectly.

In my opinion this is one of the best comic book adaptions running on a par with the Spiderman films and is certainly worth watching.

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A good first part of the X-Men trilogy

Written by Bryan Singer, Tom DeSanto and David Hayter, and directed by Bryan Singer, X-Men was the groups first attempt at the adaptation of Marvel's X-Men comic book heroes that was released back in August 2000. This is a review of the film only - I have not looked at the additonal or bonus features of the DVD, and therefore, cannot comment on these.

****Cast****

The cast in this movie is large, but the main characters are as follows;

Evolution is taking a new path and chromosomes are taking a 'twist' producing mutants with some unusual, and exciting powers. Both mutants and humans fear each other, yet one particular mutant Professor Charles Xavier, along with his team of X-Men, consisting of Jean Grey, Ororo Munroe/Storm and Scott Summers/Cyclops, has made it his mission to make a world where mutants and humans can co-exist in peace.

Whilst Xavier is planning to create a 'better' world, another mutant, Erik Lehnsher/Magnetoc, and his team of Sabretooth and Mystique, is planning on destroying humanity, speeding up the mutation process and making everyone equal by creating a machine to unleash on the world.

Marie D'Ancanto/Rogue, a young mutant girl, runs away from home and ends up grabbing a ride with another mutant, Logan/Wolverine. Unbeknown to them Rogue is the key to Magneto's plan. Xavier is aware of this and sends his team to retrieve Logan and Rogue and get them to the safety of the X-Men mansion.

Does Magneto succeed in his plan to make a world of mutants? Will Logan ever discover his roots? Does Rouge find the place where she belongs? Do Magneto and Xavier rekindle their friendship?

****My opinion****

In my opinion comic book adaptations are usually hit or miss, but then given the producers have to manage the expectations of the die-hard comic book fans, as well as a more general audience this is not surprising. I find most comic book adaptations lack depth, full of cheesy rubbish, full of too many over the top action scenes and rely on lots of special effects. There are, of course, some exceptions to this.

X-Men is definitely one of the better adaptations that is not like the above. Whilst there is plenty of action to keep the audience entertained and captivated, there is also a lot of time spent in developing the characters throughout the film.

On the whole all actors are well cast and portray their respective heroes very well. Hugh Jack man is perfectly cast as Wolverine and he did an outstanding job, that can't be faulted or criticised in any way. Patrick Stewart also did a great job at showing the self-control one would expect from Professor Xavier. The on-screen relationship between Professor Xavier and Magneto was great and the "old friends turned arch enemies" was well executed and very believable.

I think Halle Berry was miscast as Storm as she looked bored throughout and never really looked like she was getting in to the role. Likewise, James Marsden looked uncomfortable as Cyclops even though he was given plenty of opportunity to shine in his dialogue and interaction with Wolverine.

I was not blown away by the special effects but they were more than adequate and showed the super powers of each hero in some highly innovative and clever ways.

I think audio (soundtracks or sound effects - whatever is the most suitable) really enhances a film, and these were severely lacking in this film which is a shame. Don't get me wrong, there is some audio but it is unmemorable, poor and didn't really do anything for me.

Overall X-Men is an entertaining film and I think the producers have done a great job with it. It is not 100% accurate to the comic, but then what adaptation is? Besides, if it were then it would only really appeal to the hardcore comic book fans, which would turn in to a financial disaster, as the cost of making the film would never have been recovered. What the producers have done is turn this movie in to a comic book/sci-fi thriller that appeals to many, and the result is very good. It is not the best comic book adaptation (although it is one of the better ones) and it is not the best sci-fi thriller (by a long way), so I don't think this film will ever be a classic, but it is definitely worth watching.

****Other****

Run time - 104 minutesCertificate - 1211 award wins and 23 other nominations

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Better than most comic based movies

Rogue (Anna Paquin) is a girl with the mutant ability to absorb the life of normal human beings she touches and therefore is a danger to many around her, scared and hating herself for what she is she runs away. She encounters Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), a mutant with extending claws with whom she forms a strange bond.

Together they are eventually recruited by Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) who runs a school for these mutant children. While Xavier searches for a way that mutants and normal humans can co-exist, a separate mutant faction believe they are the next stage in evolution and intend to hurry along this natural selection. So begins the war between normal humans and mutants with different ideals.

Paquin is very believable as a young girl terrified of herself while having just enough of an attitude for us to see that she could one day become the powerful and confident rogue from the comics.Jackman is great fun and perfect for the cocky role of Wolverine, he delivers one-liners with great charm and just about manages to make Wolverine a loveable rogue. Really I would have liked more elements of danger in this character, when Wolverine gets angry you aren't really that afraid of him, and from such a tortured character you would expect a bit more sorrow to show under the bluster and charm.Patrick Stewart is calm, logical and centred, a perfect Xavier.

I would have liked the introduction of more mutant characters, perhaps simply more scenes with various powers being thrown around in the background, but I guess you can't have everything.

There are impressive special effects along with an intriguing plot so that both work together to create a great movie rather than this simply being a sci-fi action movie. This is a pretty good introduction into the world of the X-Men.

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Product Details

Although the superhero comic book has been a duopoly since the early 1960s, only DC's flagship characters, Superman and Batman (who originated in the late 1930s) have established themselves as big-screen franchises. Until now--this is the first runaway hit film version of the alternative superhero X-Men universe created for Marvel Comics by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and others. It's a rare comic-book movie that doesn't fall over its cape introducing all the characters, and this is the exception. X-Men drops us into a world that is closer to our own than Batman's Gotham City, but it's still home to super-powered goodies and baddies. Opening in high seriousness with paranormal activity in a WW2 concentration camp and a senatorial inquiry into the growing "mutant problem", Bryan Singer's film sets up a complex background with economy and establishes vivid, strange characters well before we get to the fun. There's Halle Berry flying and summoning snowstorms, James Marsden zapping people with his "optic beams", Rebecca Romijn-Stamos shape-shifting her blue naked form, and Ray Park lashing out with his Toad-tongue. The big conflict is between Patrick Stewart's Professor X and Ian McKellen's Magneto, super-powerful mutants who disagree about their relationship with ordinary humans, but the characters we're meant to identify with are Hugh Jackman's Wolverine (who has retractable claws and amnesia), and Anna Paquin's Rogue (who sucks the life and superpowers out of anyone she touches). The plot has to do with a big gizmo that will wreak havoc at a gathering of world leaders, but the film is more interested in setting up a tangle of bizarre relationships between even more bizarre people, with solid pros such as Stewart and McKellen relishing their sly dialogue and the newcomers strutting their stuff in cool leather outfits. There are in-jokes enough to keep comics' fans engaged, but it feels more like a science fiction movie than a superhero picture. --Kim Newman